Safety container of envelope type



Sept. 28, 1954 G. D. BENNORTH SAFETY CONTAINER oF ENvELoPE TYPE 2sheets-sheet 1 Filed Aug. l5, 1952 INVENTOR.

GEORGE D. BENNORTH HIS ATTGRNEYS Sept. 28, 1954 G, D. BENNORTH 2,690,199

SAFETY CONTAINER oF ENVELOPE TYPE Filed Aug. l5, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2JNVENTOR. F l G. 9.

GBEYORGE D. BENNORTH HES ATTRNEYS Patented Sept. 28, 1.954

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SAFETY CONTAINER F ENVELOPE TYPE George D.Bennorth, Mountain View, Calif.

Application August 15, 1952, Serial No. 304,471

Claims. l

The present invention relates to containers, and pertains moreparticularly to a storage case for the safe-keeping of valuable papers.

Many people keep valuable papers in their homes or offices, andfrequently these `papers become -d-amaged by fire or water, even thoughthe fire is 4merely of the flash type, Such `as the burning of curtainsor of a waste basket full of papers, and the water is merely frommomentary immersion or spray.

While there are available on the market various types of iireproof andWaterproof safes and storage cabinets which would protect such papers ifstored therein, the cost of such storage facilities lprevents manypeople from owning them. Furthermore, even `when such reproof andwaterproof storage facilities are available, the papers frequently mustbe removed for use or for transportation. When so removed they aresubject to loss or irreparable damage by even the mos-t transitoryexposure to fire or water. This also is true of papers of restrictedclassification, for example, in the diplomatic and military `departmentsof government.

The present invention contemplates the provision of a reproof andwaterproof container for the storage and transportation of valuablepapers. It also is an object of the invention to provide an inexpensive,lconvenient .and lightweight receptacle for the safe-keeping of valuablepapers. The invention also provides a telescoping arrangement whereby aninner envelope portion is retained in close intertted relation with anouter envelope portion regardless of -whether the inner portion is lledor empty.

A still further object of the invention is to `make such an envelope ofmulti-ply iireproofl sheet material with the edges of the sheet materialconcealed from view.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparentfrom the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a pair of blanks used for making one of theenvelope portions, the blanks being shown in their position of initialassembly.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the two telescoping envelope portionswhich are assembled to comprise a case embodying the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 3--3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragment of the composite sheet material fromwhich the telescoping envelope portions shown in Figs. 2 and 3 are made.

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic View of an arrangement for .fabricating thevcomposite sheet material from which the envelope portions are made.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of an internally spring biasedinner envelope member, a portion thereof being broken away.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the spring assembly of the structureshown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 .is an end elevational view of one of the two springs shown inFig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken on line `9 9 of Fig. 6 with the springsremoved.

Fig, 10 is an enlarged view of the upper right hand corner portion ofFig. `9.

In the accompanying drawings, a pair of telescoping envelope portions Aand B are formed of multiple ply sheet material having a central ply loof suitable fire an-d tear resistant sheet material, with outer plys Iland l2 of metal foil adhesively secured to opposite sides thereof. Thecentral ply Ill may be of asbestos cloth or other suitable sheetmaterial of which various types are well known to those familiar withthe art.

For making suitable three ply material from which the envelope portionsmay be constructed, the central sheet I0 (Fig. 5) of suitable fireproofmaterial may be fed from a roll Illa thereof and directed to passbetween adhesive applicators 3 l, 3l where layers of suitable adhesivematerial, such as sodium silicate, are applied to both sides of thesheet I0.

Rolls Ila and 12a of metal foil, such as aluminum foil of a Widthcorresponding to that of the center ply l0, are mounted one on each sideof the sheet I0. The foil strips II and I2 and the sheet I0 are passedin relatively superposed p-osition between a pair of pressing rollers32, 32, which iirmly press the foil strips Il and I2 into close adheringcont-act with opposite sides of the sheet IIJ.

The outer envelope portion A is fabricated from two blanks I4 and I5 ofthe three-ply material, the blanks being positioned to cross at theircenters, at right angles to each other. The narrow first blank I4 is ofelongated rectangular shape, with a bottom Iportion I 1 and side wallportions 'I8 and I9. The `wider second blank I5 also is of generallyrectangular shape, with a bottom portion 20, corresponding to the-bottom portion I1 of the rst blank I4, and front and rear Wall portions2l and .22 of the same length as the side `wall portions I8 and I9 ofthe i'lrst blank I4. The blanks I4 and I5 are -mounted with their bottomportions I1 and 20 relatively 3 su-perposed as shown in Figs. 2 and 3,and are adhesively secured together in such position.

The blanks I4 and I5 are creased along the dot-dash lines shown in Fig.2, and the side walls i8, I9 are bent upwardly at right angles to thebottom portion I "I, The second blank I5 is wider than the length of thebottom portion I'I of the narrower blank I4 by an amount sufficient toprovide gluing anges 24, 24 (Figs. 1 and 2). These flanges are notchedat 25, 25, 25, (Fig. 1) to provide usual corner clearance.

In order to conceal the out edges of the three ply side walls, creases24a, 24a may be provided along the inner end of each ange 24 as shown inFigs. 6, 9 and l0. These creases comprise a reversely bent portion 24hin the form of a bead which overlies the cut marginal edges of the sidewalls I8 and I9 when fitted therein as shown in Figs. 6, 9 and 10. Theside walls I8 and I9 are adhesively secured to the flanges 24 in suchintertted relation.

The second or inner envelope portion B is constructed similarly to thefirst -or larger envelope portion A, and is suiiiciently smaller thanthe envelope portion A to be telescopically insertible therein.Retainingmeans such as a pair of indentations 2l, 2l are provided inwhat may be considered the front wall 2I of the larger or outer envelopeportion A, and a single indentation 28 is provided in the opposite wall22. Similar indentations 29, 29 and 30 are provided in the front andrear walls of the inner envelope portion B in position to register withthe indentations 27, 21 and 23, respectively, when the two envelopeportions A and B are fully telescoped together as shown in Fig. 3.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 6 to -8 inclusive, a pair ofsimilar spreader springs 35 and -38 are inserted in the inner envelopeportion B to urge it toward fully open position, thereby to bring theindentations 29, 29 and 30 of the inner envelope into register with thecorresponding inward embossures of its outer envelope, as describedpreviously herein for the envelopes A and B (Fig. 3). The springs 35 and36 are of spring wire sucien'tly light to permit the envelope B to becollapsed under pressure for shipping and where conservation of space isdesirable.

Each of the members 35 and 38 is of generally rectangularU-coniguration, with -a transverse end portion 3! and side leg portions38 and 39 extending at right angles thereto to Contact, for example, therear wall 22 of the envelope B'. The transverse end portion 31 of theU-shaped spring 36 is attached to the front wall 2 I of the innerenvelope B by attaching means such as staples 31a. The wires of the legsV3.8 and 35i-are bent at acute angles to form diagonally disposedportions 4t and 3i which slope toward the opposite orgfront wall 2 I.The angularly extending portions 4E! and 4I are bent inwardly at theircenters 4ta and 4 Ia (Fig. 8) to provide clearance for the envelope sidewalls i3 and I9 when the envelope Vis collapsed.

The legs are bent again at the outer ends of the diagonally disposedportions 40 and 4I to form outwardly extending straight portions 42 and'43 which are parallel to the portions 38 and 39, and lie along thefront wall 2I of the inner envelope portion B. The portions 42 and 43terminate short of the mouth of the envelope B in reversely bent endportions 44 and 45.

The other spring member 35 is similar to the member 3E and is mountedinthe inner envelope B in reversed position from the member 3S.

Thus the two springs gently urge the envelope B toward a fully opencondition at all times but permit it to be collapsed at when desired forstorage or shipping.

The envelope case of the present invention provides a convenientreceptacle for the reception of valuable papers, and one in which thepapers can conveniently be kept at all times except when they are inactual use.

The foil layers of the envelope walls act as reflectors, to reect backtoward its source, radiant heat directed toward the envelope. Theinterposed asbestos or other intermediate layer of each wall also is ofhigh insulative value. It will be noted in Fig. 3 that when the twoenvelope portions are assembled in telescoped relation, that a doublelayer of the three ply material encloses the sides and ends of theassembly. Thus the contents of the envelope are protected on all sidesby four layers of foil and two layers of asbestos. The device willprotect the papers from fire and water `damage under many circumstanceswhere they otherwise might be destroyed. It therefore has a wide fieldof use in the storing and transporting of valuable papers both forprivate and government use.

While I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of thepresent invention, it will be understood, however, that various changesand modifications may be made in the details thereof without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appendedclaims.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire toprotect by Letters Patent is dened in the following claims.

I claim:

l. A case for the safe-keeping of papers compris-ing a pair of envelopeportions each envelope portion comprising va pair of rectangular blanksof sheet material positioned in superposed relation to cross each othercentrally at right angles, the superposed portions being adhesivelysecured together, said blanks being of a length to project beyond thesuperposed `portions thereof, the projecting portions being bent vatright .anglesto the bottom and joined at their edges to .each other,each blank being of three ply vsheet construction. the center ply beingiiexibleand re resistant, and the `inner and outer plies Ibeing ofvmetal foil, said envelope portions being Aformed lto fit closelytelescopicaily together in endwise reversed relation one within theother.

2. A storage receptacle comprising a pair of relatively telescopingenvelopes, the walls `of which are composed of Vmulti-ply materialconsisting-of a ply of Ybrous woven material covered with a ply ofrelatively :high melting point metal foil, each envelope having apair ofwalls thereof joined .to each other iby a joint comprising a iiangeintegral with one of said walls and reversely lbent relative tosaid onewall, said flange being also bent oppositely to the reverse bend andoutwardly therefrom Vby a distance substantially equal to the thicknessof the multi-ply wall material, said flange being Vdisposed within :amarginal portion of the other of said joined ywallsand adhesivelysecuredthereto, the edge of said other wall being disposed closelywithin the bend'oppositely to the reverse bend, thereby to conceal themulti-ply edges of both of said walls.

'3. A storage receptacle VVcomprising a pair of envelope portions, eachlenvelope portion comprising a pair of rectangular blanks of sheetmaterial positioned in superposed relation to cross each other centrallyat right angles to form the envelope bottom, the superposed bottomforming portions being adhesively secured together, said blanks being ofa length to project beyond the superposed bottom forming portionsthereof, the projecting portions being bent at right angles to saidbottom and joined at their edges to each other to form Walls, each blankbeing of three ply sheet material consisting of a flexible re resistantcenter ply covered on both sides thereof with plies of metal foil, eachjoint joining the edges of two of said walls comprising a ange extendingfrom one of the joining walls and bent reversely to said one Wall toform a bead, a second bend formed in said ange outwardly of said bead,the portion of said flange beyond said second bend being inserted withina marginal portion of the second of said joining walls and adhesivelysecured thereto, the edge of said second Wall being disposed closelyagainst said bead to conceal the edge of the second wall, said envelopeportions being formed to t closely telescopically together in endwisereversed relation one Within the other.

4. A storage receptacle comprising a pair of envelopes of reproofmulti-ply material, one of said envelopes being telescopicallyinsertible Within the other, and means for biasing opposite walls of theinnermost of said envelopes outwardly for resilient engagement withcorresponding walls of the outer envelope when telescopically insertedtherein, said biasing means comprising a pair of light spring wires ofU-conguration constructed and arranged to t into a marginal portion ofthe biased walls, a mid-portion of each leg of the U-shaped springmember being disposed at an acute angle to the remainder of the leg tooffset the two portions of the leg on opposite sides of the offsetportion in parallel planes normally separated by the required maximumseparation of the biased Walls of said inner envelope.

5. A receptacle, the Walls of which are composed of multi-ply materialconsisting of a ply of brous material covered with a ply of metal foil,said receptacle having a pair of Walls thereof intersecting at an angleand joined to each other by a joint comprising a flange integral withone of said Walls and reversely bent relative to said one Wall, saidflange being also bent oppositely to the reverse bend and outwardlytherefrom at a distance substantially equal to the thickness of themulti-ply wall material, said flange being disposed within a marginalportion of the other of said joined Walls, and adhesively securedthereto, the edge of said other Wall being disposed closely Within thebend oppositely to the reverse bend thereby to conceal the multi-plyedges of both of said walls.

References Cited in the ile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 542,903 Truax July 16, 1895 1,308,058 Evers July l, 19192,189,055 Cage Feb. 6, 1940 2,435,355 Ingram Feb. 3, 1948

